danthevan Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Hi guys, After a bit of advice (song examples etc) on 'loosely' learning jazz......... bit vague I know, but read on and you'll get what I mean! Every year, my local has a charity gig and gets 6 or so bands to play. Generally all we get is your bog standard covers bands, which gets a bit tedious when most of the set lists are the same! One of my wife's friends wants to do something this year, she's quite an accomplished Jazz singer but because of babies / kids hasn't done anything for a couple of years. She's got a keyboard player who is apparently sh*t hot, but needs a bassist. Guess who's been roped in to the role........! As my background is mainly rock / punk, how do I get my head round some 'acceptable' jazz playing?! She has said she will keep it simple by doing Ella Fitzgerald - summertime, and Fever (whoever did that one!) sort of stuff, which I think I can blag ok after listening on youtube, but is there any other advice, tips, songs you'd recommend to listen to? My view of jazz currently is something like: [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsQYzpOHpik&feature=kp"]https://www.youtube....Hpik&feature=kp[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 (edited) [quote name='danthevan' timestamp='1402061037' post='2469662']...any other advice, tips, songs you'd recommend to listen to?...[/quote] Good afternoon, Dan... Can you acquire the set list that will be played, with the key of each song..? Get a chord chart for each of the songs, in that key (transpose if necessary...) and play the root note of each chord. If you can do that, in time, for each song, you'll have a basis to build on. Is there any rehearsal or practise time with the keyboard player..? If you two can work together before the day you'll (both...) be more confident. Keep to the strict minimum and it should work out fine. Jazz..? It's not rocket science..! Good luck with the venture anyway, it will surely teach you lots. Hope this helps. Edited June 6, 2014 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthevan Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 I've asked her to send across some youtube links of versions of songs she wants to do. So far Summertime and Fever I'll be able to nail ok, and guess listening to them will give me some sort of 'feel' for it. Liking the keep it simple idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Dan... I'll insist, then, in being certain that she'll indeed be singing these standards [i]in that key[/i]. A vocalist will very often, sometimes without realising, raise or lower to suite their own preferred tonality, which will stuff you if you're not used to transposing 'on the fly'. Standards such as 'Summertime' have been sung in just about all the keys available by someone, I should think, so you can't rely on any one U-tube version unless she can confirm that that's the pitch she'll be using. The keys bloke will probably be used to this; it's important for you all to be all 'working from the same page'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthevan Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 Noted, Thanks Dad! I think we'll get one rehearsal in beforehand which i'll probably record, so will at least have some sort of idea what the pair of musicians are going to throw at this welder ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 (edited) Just to frighten you... [media]http://youtu.be/EYxoAJ3Boyc[/media] Splendid stuff, and a 'classic' for drummers, too..! He's playing bare-handed... Note the modulations (up a semi-tone...) half way through. Edited June 6, 2014 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Speak to the pianist. He will be able to advise you re: keys etc. Summertime and Fever are both relatively simple but played as Jazz standards they are not simple like Mustand Sally is simple. You don't just learn the part and play it by rote. Best advise I can give is to listen to Ella/Peggy Lee's versions of the songs and absorb them but don't 'learn' the versions you are listening to because when you play them for real, what you think you have learned will be pretty much useless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthevan Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 Thanks guys, I'm now brimming with confidence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Less is more... http://youtu.be/Vc2Bm5IXGh4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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